Have A Little Faith In Me
by The Leader In Red
Summary: Marah's betrayal has a lasting effect on the Yellow Wind Ranger. Will an old friend of the Bradleys be able to break through the walls Dustin built around his heart and prove herself worthy of his trust?
1. Dustin's Resistance

**[Title] **_Have A Little Faith In Me_

**[Author] **_Alexandra Oliver_

**[E-Mail] **_crazyrangerfan@yahoo.com_

**[Genre] **_Drama_

**[Rating] **_PG or PG-13_

**[Timeline] **_A week after All About Beevil _

**[Disclaimer]** _I do NOT own Power Rangers or any of the characters except for Paige Adams._

**[Summary] **_Marah's betrayal has a lasting effect on the Yellow Wind Ranger. Will an old friend of the Bradleys be able to break through the walls Dustin built around his heart and prove herself worthy of his trust?  _

**[Author's Note] **_All About Beevil is my favorite episode of Power Rangers Ninja Storm and I've seen it plenty of times. Dustin is my favorite Ranger too. Hmmm, yeah! I decided to write like a crazy madwoman so enjoy!_

*******_NO flames_**_, just **constructive criticism**, please. I'm always **open to suggestions** but I **ignore senseless bashing**. I believe **writing is an art** and **should be respected no matter what**._

**[Chapter 1] **_Dustin's Resistance_

        Marah's words kept ringing through his head and the memory of his mistake had taken over his stream of consciousness. He couldn't concentrate on his work because he found himself so distracted.

        "Hey, Dustin, are you okay?" Shane's voice interrupted his thoughts.

        Dustin replied in a quiet tone of voice, "Yeah, I'm fine. You know, things happen."

        "Bro, you gotta move on..."

        Dustin shrugged. "Don't push it, Shane," he said sharply as he walked off into the back room.

        Shane went over to the lounge area and sat with Tori and Blake. "He's not okay."

        "I know...I'm really worried about him," Tori commented.

        Blake chimed in, "What are we going to do?"

        "Chocolate usually helps the tortured soul," a female voice quipped.

        The three sitting on the couch looked up at the source of the voice and found Hunter standing there with a slim redheaded girl dressed in a yellow tube top and a black skirt with long boots. Blake stood up quickly and enveloped the girl in a hug. Soon, excited giggles were heard from the girl sandwiched between the brothers.

        "Guys, this is Paige Adams, our best friend," Blake explained after releasing her, "We grew up together at the Thunder Ninja Academy and she was the best female ninja in our class."

        Paige smiled modestly. "It's nothing, really, guys. I wasn't _that _great."

        Hunter chimed in, "Paige, this is Shane and Tori."

        "Nice to meet you," Tori said with a light smile.

        "Definitely," Shane added.

        "So what brings you into town anyway?" Tori asked curiously.

        Paige explained, "I was going to visit Sensei Amano and I decided to stop here...I've been driving for ages...this is actually where I lived for a little while right after I was adopted."

        Hunter and Blake exchanged looks as Blake said, "Lothor kidnapped all the ninjas out of every Ninja Academy, including the Thunder Ninja Academy."

        Paige's jaw dropped. "No..."

        "I'm sorry," Shane said quietly then he went back to his magazine.

        Paige's eyes darted from Hunter to Blake then she snapped, "Why didn't you guys tell me!?" Since her back was facing Shane and Tori, they couldn't hear.

        "I'm sorry..." Hunter said quietly, "We're working on rescuing them all." 

        With a low voice, Blake added, "Did you ever...?"

        Paige shook her head. "Not now," she replied, imitating Blake's tone, "Let's talk about it later."

        "Hey, you should meet Dustin!" Shane exclaimed after his and Tori's own whispered conversation.

        Paige turned to face Shane with a raised eyebrow as he stood up and left to look for Dustin.

        "Yeah, our friend's a little down...he's had...girl troubles. We were hoping you could help cheer him up. You seem like you have that type of personality," Tori explained.

        Paige shrugged good-naturedly. "I don't see any harm in trying. Dustin's lucky to have friends like you."

        "He's not here anymore," Shane announced when he returned.

        Tori shrugged. "Oh well..." She bit her lip then added, "Hunter, Shane, you guys check the motocross track and I'll check the beach with Blake."

        "Well, I'm go explore Blue Bay Harbor for a bit. I've missed being here! It would be great to get reacquainted with the place," Paige told them, "Hunter and Blake know how to contact me. They'll let me know if you've found Dustin. I'll catch ya later."

        They all said goodbye to her and they split up. Paige left Storm Chargers first, followed by Shane and Hunter, then Blake and Tori.

~*~_*_~*~

        Blue Bay Point...the view from the top was nice and the air seemed fresher. Dustin didn't know why he would ever come back since it was there that Marah had managed to draw him in and make him believe that she wanted to change. It was there that he began to feel there was something good in her.

        "Chocolate usually helps the tortured soul," Paige's voice came from behind him as she used one of her signature lines.

        Dustin quickly turned around and took a fighting stance.

        "Relax, pretty boy," Paige said playfully as she pulled out a chocolate bar from her purse, "I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm just gonna feed you. Here." She held out her favorite chocolate as an offering to him.

        Lowering his defensive stance and relaxing, Dustin took the chocolate from Paige, put it in his pocket and said in a cool voice, "I haven't seen you around."

        "I used to live here a few years ago."

        Dustin turned around and looked out at the view. "I come here to think. Something about this place brings about clarity, an inner peace...at least for me, it does."

        Feeling an unexplicable force pulling her towards him, Paige approached Dustin and stood right next to him. "I agree. It's beautiful up here. So what's going on that needs to be cleared up? Maybe a neutral third party can help you sort things out..."

        "No, just drop it," Dustin snapped as he stared off into the distance.

        "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to be intrusive," she appologized. "Okay, let me start over then...Hey, I'm Paige. What's your name?" she added playfully after a pause.

        "I don't know what you're trying to do, but leave me alone!" With that, Dustin walked off, leaving a bewildered Paige behind.

        The redhead heard her cell phone ring. She opened her purse and pulled it out. "Yo, this is Paige, talk to me."

        "Hey, Munchkin, we still haven't found him," Hunter told her.

        Paige sighed at the sound of her childhood nickname. "Oh well, I was just headed to the beach to meet up with Blake and Tori. Are you and Shane gonna be there?"

        "We'll meet up with you in fifteen minutes. Bye."

        "Bye."

        Paige hung up and headed back to her car, her recent encounter with a dark-haired stranger still fresh in her mind.

~*~_*_~*~

        Shane and Hunter were headed off to the beach just as Dustin was coming in on his bike.

        "Yo, Dustin!" Hunter called out, "Where have you been?

        Dustin stopped right by them and said, "Nowhere. What's up?"

        "We're going to the beach to hang out," Shane explained, "You wanna come with?"

        "I don't..."

        "Listen, bro, I've got a friend I want you to meet. We're gonna play beach volleyball so bring your A game," Hunter explained, "You don't have a choice. We need a third on our team."

        "What about Cam?" Dustin suggested, hoping he could bail out on the beach thing.

        Shane interjected, "He's the ref!"

        "Okay, fine."

        Shane took off on his skateboard to go home and change while Hunter followed Dustin to the beach.

~*~_*_~*~

        Paige, in a yellow one-piece, along with Tori in her baby blue two piece, had been playing beach volleyball against Blake in his navy blue shirt and shorts and Cam in his green shorts and white shirt. They were sitting on the sand by the net, taking a breather.

        "So Paige, tell us more about yourself," Cam suggested, having  just been introduced to her at the beach.

        Paige eyed her new friends carefully. They didn't know she was the third Thunder Ranger, the Gold Thunder Ranger, and they didn't know of her hidden abilities. She was running out of things she could tell them not to mention that her encounter on Blue Bay Point was distracting her. 

        "Well, I am a dancer," she finally said after giving Blake a look, "I got into it after I got adopted. Ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop..."

        Shane sat between Cam and Paige. "Well, we finally found Dustin. He and Hunter are on the way."

        Paige nodded distractedly. "Wonderful."

        "You okay, buddy?" Blake asked with a curious look.

        "I went back to Blue Bay Point and I met a guy there..."

        Tori cut in, "Oooh! Was he cute?"

        Paige replied, "Yeah but he was a little cold, though. It was partly my fault 'coz I figured I was being intrusive when I tried to be friendly but he seemed upset about something else..."

        "YOU!"

        Dustin's voice startled Paige and everyone around her. She recognized him from Blue Bay Point.

        "Yeah," Hunter told him, "She's a childhood friend of ours, mine and Blake's..."

        "Paige," Dustin finished for him.

        Paige's jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh..." She could feel herself blush in total embarassment.

        "I can see you guys have met," Hunter commented with a chuckle, "Don't worry, bro...Paige can have that repulsive effect on guys. You just need time to get used to her."

        Paige rolled her eyes as Blake laughed, knowing exactly what Hunter was talking about.

        "I'm not in the mood to play nice right now," Dustin said coldly, "I just remembered I had something to do at home." He walked off to find his bike.

        Paige sighed. "I _know _that attitude wasn't all about me. What's the deal with his girl troubles?"

        Cam glanced at Paige and said, "Uh...it's complicated and I don't think Dustin would like it if we shared his personal problems with a total stranger."

        "I understand...I just wish there was something I could do..." Paige told the group, "I don't know why but I felt drawn to him, standing there all alone on Blue Bay Point...it was so strange."

        "Well, since Dustin's out of the game, we get Cam!" Shane exclaimed as he grabbed the ball from under the net.

        "Oh you're on, bro!" Blake exclaimed.

        "How can you stand the testosterone?" Paige asked Tori.

        Tori shrugged. "I'm used to it, I guess."

        The teens played volleyball and had a good time...until the game was abruptly interrupted.


	2. Thunder Talks

**[Title] **_Have A Little Faith In Me_

**[Author] **_Alexandra Oliver_

**[E-Mail] **_crazyrangerfan@yahoo.com_

**[Genre] **_Drama/Romance_

**[Rating] **_PG or PG-13_

**[Timeline] **_Right after the previous chapter_

**[Disclaimer]** _I do NOT own Power Rangers or any of the characters except for Paige Adams._

**[Summary] **_Marah's betrayal has a lasting effect on the Yellow Wind Ranger. Will an old friend of the Bradleys be able to break through the walls Dustin built around his heart and prove herself worthy of his trust? _

**[Author's Note] **_All About Beevil is my favorite episode of Power Rangers Ninja Storm and I've seen it plenty of times. Dustin is my favorite Ranger too. Hmmm, yeah! I decided to write like a crazy madwoman so enjoy!_

*******_NO flames_**_, just **constructive criticism**, please. I'm always **open to suggestions** but I **ignore senseless bashing**. I believe **writing is an art** and **should be respected no matter what**._

**[Chapter 2] **_Thunder Talks_

        Paige eyed Blake then asked, "Game over?"

        Blake nodded.

        Paige called out, "I'm gonna go and chill at my parents' rental apartment. Catch y'all later!"

        After Paige left and the gang gathered around him, Shane answered the signal. "Go for Shane."

        "Yo, bro, there's a nasty lookin' reptile downtown. I suggest you guys start puttin' some serious hurt on it before it eats up the joint," Cyber Cam's voice came out.

        "Did you let Dustin know about this?" Hunter asked.

        Cyber Cam replied, "Dude, he's already there and he needs some serious help."

        "All right, we're on it!" Shane replied.

        The teens morphed into their alter egos.

        "Ninja Storm..."

        "Thunder Storm..."

        "Samurai Storm..."

        "Ranger Form, Ha!"

        When the Rangers arrived, they found exactly what Cyber Cam had said would be there waiting for them, attacking Dustin with a group of Kelzacks. What they didn't expect was a Gold Thunder Ranger fighting with him. 

        As soon as they approached, she left, yelling over her shoulder, "I'll leave this to you guys now. I gotta go!"

        As the Wind, Thunder and Samurai Rangers fought, the mysterious Gold Thunder Ranger was being followed by Kelzacks. She held them off until she got an alley nearby. She made sure that the Rangers fighting wouldn't be able to see her and she demorphed. 

        "Power Down!"

        Paige sighed as she fought off the Kelzacks. She yelled out, "Ugh, LET ME GO, YOU CREEPS! AHH!"

        Back at the battle scene a hundred meters away, Hunter heard her yells and said, "Guys, Paige's in trouble! I'm going to help her."

        Hunter rushed off to Paige's rescue and began to help her fight off the Kelzacks.

        "Thanks," she said after they had finished, "Listen, H..."

        "I don't know what's going on but you've got some explaining to do, Adams," Hunter said quietly, cutting her off, "We'll talk about it later."

        Paige watched as Hunter returned to the battle. While the Rangers went off into their Zords, she decided to bolt.

~*~_*_~*~

        After the battle, the Rangers reconvened at Ninja Ops. 

        "Did you see that, Father?" Cam asked, "There's a Gold Thunder Ranger we didn't know about."

        "Yes, the legendary Golden Thunder Warrior," Sensei replied, "Her strength is unprecedented and as a part of a trio of warriors, she is unstoppable."

        Tori glanced at Hunter and Blake and asked, "Did you guys  know about her?"

        Blake shook her head. "I know of the story of the Gold Thunder Ranger Powers. It's part of the Thunder Force..."

        "Yeah, but we had no idea they actually existed or belonged to anyone. We were told it was all a Thunder Ninja legend," Hunter added, "We're supposedly part of this Ninja Super Team...if it was real, we could have stopped Lothor from kidnapping everyone from the Ninja Academies."

        "You think we could convince this new Ranger to join up with us?" Shane asked.

        Dustin remained silent. He had the opportunity to fight alongside the mystery Ranger and she seemed like a solid warrior but he knew that if there was ever a missing element of trust in their team again, it would never work out. At that point, he wasn't ready to trust anyone else besides the current members of the team and his Sensei.

        "Dustin, one who is lost in thought is still lost. Is there anything you would like to share with the group?" Sensei asked.

        "Do you guys know why we keep beating Lothor the way we do?" the Yellow Wind Ranger asked his teammates.

        "It's definitely because we're a million times stronger," Shane answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

        Cam added, "Don't forget my technological genius with the Zords."

        Tori observed her best friend and replied, "That's true, but I think what he meant is that it's because we're finally at the point where there's complete trust in our team. Remember how chaotic it was when we first met Hunter and Blake?"

        "Oh yeah..." Shane's voice trailed off.

        Tori finished off her thought. "Our team is the way it is now because we learned to completely trust each other."

        "Exactly," Dustin said, "If we invite this new Ranger to join the team, she'll have to earn our trust, right?" After everyone nodded, he went on, "After what happened with Marah, I don't know if I could put it all aside and trust someone as quickly as I would have before. Our team won't be as solid and it'll be my fault."

        "But if all those legends are true, Hunter and I could really stick it to Lothor with her help," Blake told him.

        "We're strong enough to beat him right now but if the teamwork's not all there, all the strength in the world can't help us," Dustin said quietly, "I just don't think this is a good idea."

        "We have plenty of time to discuss this but Blake and I promised to meet a friend for lunch," Hunter announced, "We're gonna have to bail right now."

        "Good luck selling the whole seventh Ranger thing," Blake commented as he followed his brother out of Ninja Ops.

        "I'm going to the track," Dustin said, leaving Ninja Ops.

        Shane and Tori shrugged. "You mind if we stick around and train, Sensei?" Shane asked.

        Sensei replied, "No problem. You must remember to keep a balance of work and play. Do not train for too long without taking a break."

        "I'll work on trying to figure out the Golden Scroll Prophecy," Cam announced as he worked on the supercomputer.

~*~_*_~*~

        "You figured it out, didn't you?" Hunter asked as Paige let the Bradley brothers into the apartment she was living in.

        Leading them into the living room, Paige replied, "Yeah, the Golden Scroll Prophecy...it confirms the legend's for real. What I don't understand is why Sensei Amano gave it to my adoptive parents to give to me on my birthday..."

        "Because _you're _the legendary warrior," Hunter replied, "You're the Gold Thunder Ranger, aren't you?"

        Feigning ignorance, Paige replied, "_What?!_"

        "It was _way _too much of a coincidence that you showed up in town the same day this Gold Thunder Ranger shows up," Blake pointed out.

        Hunter eyed Paige, who sighed. "Yeah, it's me. I found the morpher here in Blue Bay Harbor in the forest, right before I headed to the beach."

        "We were just talking about asking you to join the team. The Wind Rangers are cool and so is the Samurai Ranger," Blake pointed out.

        "Yeah, although the Yellow Wind Ranger might be a hard sell," Hunter commented, "Well, the team's ready to meet you and see where you might fit in..."

        "No...I don't wanna mess up the team dynamics or anything," Paige said with a sigh, "I'll pop in and help but I'm not ready to join the team. I'm not sure how everyone would react. I don't know who they are and they don't know who I am...I think it would best if things stayed that way for now."

        Blake and Hunter exchanged looks before Blake replied, "Okay, we'll keep your little secret...but we won't do it forever. You'll have to tell the truth eventually. You'll have to figure out what your next move is. You need to tell us if you wanna join the team or not."

        Paige sighed. "It's bad enough that Dustin's not that welcoming...what if the team hates me too? I'd hate to have four other people think that I can't be trusted."

        "Lies don't build trust, Paige," Blake told her, refraining himself from correcting her, "We had to learn that the hard way."

        Paige smiled lightly. "I hate it when you're right..how about some food?"

        Both brothers accepted her offer and she disappeared into the kitchen to get some sandwiches and some soda.


	3. Paige Unmasked

**[Title] **_Have A Little Faith In Me_

**[Author] **_Alexandra Oliver_

**[E-Mail] **_crazyrangerfan@yahoo.com_

**[Genre] **_Drama_

**[Rating] **_PG or PG-13_

**[Timeline] **_Around lunchtime, a day after the previous chapter_

**[Disclaimer]** _I do NOT own Power Rangers or any of the characters except for Paige Adams._

**[Summary] **_Marah's betrayal has a lasting effect on the Yellow Wind Ranger. Will an old friend of the Bradleys be able to break through the walls Dustin built around his heart and prove herself worthy of his trust? _

**[Author's Note] **_All About Beevil is my favorite episode of Power Rangers Ninja Storm and I've seen it plenty of times. Dustin is my favorite Ranger too. Hmmm, yeah! I decided to write like a crazy madwoman so enjoy! _

_~This chapter is dedicated to _**Jennifer Collins**_, the best ever _[Dustin/Tori]_ friendship fic author in the world!!! She inspired me and helped me figure out how to go about developing the whole _[Dustin/Paige] _dynamic. You've been a big help! _

_~I was also inspired by Anne McCaffrey's Saga Of The Talents so I decided to use To Ride Pegasus, Pegasus In Flight and Pegasus In Space as reference books to help develop Paige's backstory and her special powers. I highly recommend those three books; they're great!_

*******_NO flames_**_, just **constructive criticism**, please. I'm always **open to suggestions** but I **ignore senseless bashing**. I believe **writing is an art** and **should be respected no matter what**._

**[Chapter 3] **_Paige Unmasked_

"Are you sure you want to do this right now?" Blake questioned Paige the next day at her place as he and Hunter returned that afternoon to play a motocross racing game on her Playstation 2.

Paige replied, "Guys, I'm notgonna jump off a bridge or anything. I'm just gonna go and talk to Dustin again. I know our first conversation wasn't exactly what I hoped it would be but I really wanna be his friend."

"Uh, maybe you should give him some space," Hunter suggested, knowing how persistent Paige could be.

"There is such a thing as trying too hard," Blake chimed in.

Paige replied in an assured tone of voice, "Okay, so I didn't win him over on the first try. Since when have I ever backed down from a challenge?"

Hunter and Blake gave each other nervous glances and shook their heads as Paige tossed the apartment keys to Hunter with a smile.

"Lock up when you're done with my video games and my food," she said on her way out, "And put the games in the right cases, for crying out loud!"

The door slammed shut and the brothers sighed, then they went back to their game.

~*~_*_~*~

        Dustin didn't know what to do with himself. Work had been exhausting and the thought of Paige made him feel nervous. He just knew he had to do something to stop feeling the way he felt. He just wasn't sure what. He decided that after his shift, he had to hit the track to clear his head.

        "Uh, Dustin, your shift was over fifteen minutes ago; what are you still doing here?" Kelly's voice interrupted his thoughts.

        Dustin hadn't noticed the time go by. He cleaned up his work area and took his bike out, saying goodbye to his boss as he walked away.

        The bike ride over to the track was peaceful for him. It gave him some time to relax by himself and clear his head of his distracting thoughts. 

_"Relax, pretty boy, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just gonna feed you. Here." _

He couldn't get Paige's voice out of his head and it drove him crazy. He didn't know if it was because it seemed like she didn't have a care in the world and that had inadvertently gotten on his nerves but she bothered him like a pesky mosquito bite. He wasn't sure how but she sure had a way of getting under his skin. Maybe it was the after-effects of Marah's betrayal but he just didn't feel like trusting another girl again.

As he pulled up to the track, he noticed Paige standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was going to be a race starting up and she was standing right in the middle of the track. He sped over, got off his bike at a safe distance and rushed over to push her out of the way.

"PAIGE, WATCH OUT!!!" Dustin yelled as he pulled her away right on time.

The pair took their time to regain their balance and their composure. Dustin took a bit longer, remembering the way he had done the same thing for Marah about a week ago. He covered his exasperated expression with his right hand as he caught his breath and sighed heavily.

"Dustin, are you okay?" Paige asked worriedly.

Dustin snapped coldly, "I'm fine, Paige. You could have gotten killed. Just watch where you're going next time."

As Dustin walked away, Paige followed him to his bike. "We need to talk. It looks like ever since we met, you've had a problem with me. If you've got one, let's solve it right now because I think you're worth getting to know better. I don't know what your deal is but I wanna know what I'm doing wrong!"

Instead of climbing his bike, Dustin turned around to face Paige, taken aback by her little speech. "Listen, there are some things you just can't talk about," he said sharply.

"You can talk about anything at all; you just _choose_ not to. It'll eat you up inside until you're not able to function...but it's your deal, your choice if you don't wanna tell me."

Dustin saw the combination of resolve and kindness in Paige's emerald green eyes, willing him to trust her. Seeing that, he gave her a quick half-smile before reverting to a serious expression. "Meet me at the beach in front of lifeguard tower 12 in an hour and a half and I'll tell you exactly what's going on."

"Okay..." Paige replied as she watched him get on his bike and head in the direction of the starting line.

~*~_*_~*~

Over at Ninja Ops, Cam was sitting at the super computer, picking up where he left off, continuing his research from the previous day, while Tori and Blake were sparring with Hunter and Shane.

"Hey, Blake, Hunter, what do you guys know about the Golden Scroll Prophecy?" Cam asked as he typed away.

Hunter and Blake exchanged glances before the younger of the two Bradley brothers replied, "Huh, just the basics. 'The Protectors of the Universe: Crimson, Navy and Gold unite; send the Thunder Force to fight for everything that's right'...that's the only part of the legend we were taught."

"There's another section that describes the Source Of Ultimate Power," Cam said as he read the rest of what he had found, "It says 'While the Crimson Ninja gives the team a direction and the Navy Ninja provides physical strength, it is the Golden Ninja, the heart of the team, that fuels the power from within'..."

"If we're a part of the Thunder Force, then I'm the brains while Blake's the brawn," Hunter pointed out, "Uh, okay, so that's two down. Who's to say that the Gold Thunder Ranger will join us?"

"We have to find out who that girl is and convince her to join us..." Shane said, "Not to mention the fact that we need to convince Dustin that this is important."

Tori sighed. "I haven't said anything before but do you guys think that it's too coincidental that Paige happens to swing into town the same day this new Ranger arrives?"

"We don't know for sure," Blake replied, lying to everyone, "If it is, then we would totally vouch for her. She's been loyal and she's been a great friend. She would make a great ally."

"Guys," Cam said, "C'mon, we don't know if it's Paige...we can't just go and ask her because she won't tell us. It's a habit of any Ranger to keep that part of his or her life a secret."

It was back to square one for Cam as he kept doing his research while the other four kept sparring.

~*~_*_~*~

Waiting in front of lifeguard tower 12, Paige kept looking at her watch every thirty seconds. It  was 12:01 and she was afraid he wouldn't show up but at 12:05, Dustin finally arrived.

"I'm here, Dustin, so talk," Paige said firmly, "Tell me what's going on."

"Before I do, tell me something," Dustin quickly countered, "How do I know you can be trusted?"

Paige's eyebrow furrowed as she gave the question some thought. "You don't think I can be trusted...so that's the issue. Okay, fine. Let me tell you something: trust is a two-way street. I'm gonna trust you with a secret of my own and hopefully, that'll be enough to convince you that I'm not out to get you. I know your feelings have been hurt but you don't have to take that out on me."

Dustin frowned. "How'd you..."

        "I'm a telempath, I feel other people's emotions and project my own emotions...whenever they aren't being blocked..." 

Dustin looked completely horrified. "You _WHAT_? Are you some kind of mind-reading freak!?"

"I don't read thoughts, just emotions," Paige said calmly, trying not to sound offended, "I know this sounds really weird but I would never do anything to hurt you. We just met and I..."

Dustin shook his head. "Listen, forget we ever had this conversation. I have to go meet up with some people," he said coldly.

Paige let out a soft frustrated grunt as she watched Dustin walk away. She didn't stop him; she knew she couldn't, not after her revelation. Instead, she followed him closely then when he hopped onto his bike, she went into her convertible and followed him. She had no idea why, but she felt compelled to do it. 

~*~_*_~*~

Dustin was headed on his way to Ninja Ops on his motocross bike when he was attacked by a mutated bear monster in the forest.

Paige parked her car at the end of the road before she walked into the forest. She used her Ninja powers to streak around until she arrived right behind Dustin. "Whoa, that guy has a serious case of the uglies!" she exclaimed playfully.

"What are you doing here?" Dustin exclaimed, "This is _NOT_ a good time!"

"You're in trouble and I'm here to help," Paige said firmly after she pulled her civilian clothes to reveal a Thunder Ninja Academy uniform. She stood next to Dustin and said, "Thunder Storm, Ranger Form, Ha!"

Dustin's jaw dropped as Paige finished her transformation and her helmet visor opened. "There! That's why you should trust me. C'mon, morph already!"

Dustin quickly morphed. "Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, Ha!"

Paige's visor closed and the pair fought the mutant bear monster together as the other Rangers arrived.

"Hey, you guys okay?" Shane asked as they fought. 

Dustin replied sharply, "Yeah, fine."

"Hmmm, yeah!" Paige replied.

The seven Rangers attacked the monster but then they were ambushed by Marah, Kapri and an army of Kelzacks. Shane and Hunter fought the monster while Cam, Dustin, Paige, Tori and Blake took on the Kelzacks.

As they watched, Kapri whispered to Marah, "I know you have a soft spot for the Yellow Wind Ranger."

"I DO NOT!" Marah denied vehemently.

With a challenging tone, Kapri replied, "So prove it! Attack him with your best shot!"

From the corner of her eye, Paige caught Marah just as she was preparing to attack Dustin. 

"WATCH OUT!!!" she yelled out as she pushed the Yellow Wind Ranger away and absorbed most of the blast from Marah.

Dustin watched Paige fall right in front of him as he finished off the last of the Kelzacks. When he was done, he knelt down to check on her as the other Rangers kept Marah, Kapri and the monster occupied.

"Paige," Dustin said urgently, "you need to wake up!"

"We need you to form the Megazord," Shane said behind him.

Dustin said insistantly, "I'm staying with her. You guys need to fight that thing before it destroys the city."

"All right," Shane said before heading off to summon the Zords.

Dustin opened up his visor and watched over Paige in her Gold Thunder Ranger spandex uniform. Because she had been badly injured, she couldn't keep her Ranger Form. Dustin gasped as her Ninja uniform was revealed to have blood stains on its sleeve. He decided to take her to Ninja Ops. Maybe Cyber Cam could help her...

~*~_*_~*~

"Cyber Cam, how's she doing?" Dustin asked, sitting at the table in the center of Command Central in Ninja Ops.

Cam's holographic replica replied, "Dude, she's just chillin' in the infirmary. She'll be all right; it's just a few scrapes and bruises. The Gooseegg's had some majorly weird readings but you don't have to worry." He was referring to the electroencephalograph, a machine the real Cam had put together to monitor brain activity in case someone got seriously injured.

"That's good," Dustin said casually, "I just don't wanna be held responsible for her injuries...she chose to take the hit for me..."

"Relax, Dustin, she will be all right," Sensei said, "Her inner strength will pull her though."

"What's going on?" Hunter's voice came from behind Dustin.

"I had to take Paige to the infirmary; she couldn't keep her Ranger form," Dustin explained.

"WHAT?!" Shane's jaw dropped as he put two and two together.

Tori said, "So Paige is the Gold Thunder Ranger?"

"Trust me, guys, I was just as surprised to find out...but when I watched her morph, I knew she was the real deal," Dustin said.

Hunter and Blake exchanged nervous glances as Tori approached the brothers and gave them curious looks. "Did you guys know about this?" she asked.

Blake's eyes fell to the ground to avoid Tori's gaze as he said, "Hunter, did we know?"

Hunter explained, "She told us not to tell anyone; sorry, guys."

"That is the unspoken code of any Ranger," Sensei said slowly, "She seems to want to do what is right but is simply torn between the code and the truth."

"I feel bad that she got hurt because of me but...I still don't feel comfortable with a new addition to our team, not at this point," Dustin said quietly, thinking about Paige's revelation.

"You guys don't have to be nervous," Paige's voice came from the doorway to the room.

Every Ranger turned around to face the girl. Paige's eyes met with Dustin's as she spoke. "Listen, you guys, I owe you an explanation."

"You don't owe anyone anything," Dustin said coldly, "You don't belong here."

"You don't mean that," Paige said calmly, "I know that."

Cam deactivated his holographic counterpart then moved aside with Hunter, Blake, Shane and Tori as Dustin and Paige had their confrontation.

"Were you ever planning on telling me about any of it?" Dustin asked.

"Didn't think you cared. I _was _gonna tell you everything at the beach but when you freaked out, you didn't wanna hear me out," Paige explained, "All I wanted was to be your friend...I tried to understand your feelings and with my telempathy, I thought it would be easier. I was hoping that maybe for once, my Talent wouldn't get in the way of a new friendship. I guess I was wrong..."

Cam looked up from the EEG readings he was scanning and said, "Your brain patterns have been odd. This Talent of yours, does it occur at regular intervals?"

"No...it's been occuring a lot more recently," Paige said to Cam before studying Dustin again and telling him, "Listen, you're just trying to find a reason not to trust me and not to get close. Fine. I can deal with that. What I can't deal with is you attacking me. I have known Hunter and Blake forever and they want me on this team and Shane and Tori don't seem to have any problems with me. You're just gonna have to deal with me 'coz I'm not going anywhere."

Dustin swallowed and went to say something but was interrupted by Shane, who said, "That's enough, you guys!"

"Remember, we have to work as a team here," Blake added firmly.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about; having Paige join us is going to put a dent in the trust I have in the team," Dustin said sharply.

Paige sighed; she wondered why she felt so strongly about Dustin and the connection she felt. Her telempathy seriously messed with her own emotions at times and sometimes, it overwhelmed her. She decided just to leave Ninja Ops and give Dustin some space.

~*~_*_~*~

Some time later, Dustin decided to sit against the wall to the left of the supercomputer while the rest of the team discussed having Paige join them and her telempathy.

"So then we are all in agreement that Paige belongs on our team?" Sensei asked. 

"Most of us anyway..." Shane said, glancing at a distracted Dustin who seemed like he was still too caught up in his own thoughts to realize that the team had made a decision without him.

Hunter and Blake simply nodded while Tori and Cam voiced that they agreed.

"Sensei, what's telempathy?" Tori asked as she sat at the table in the middle of the room with Shane, Hunter and Blake while Cam was at the supercomputer.

"She can feel your emotions and adapt to them," Blake explained, "She can also project her own emotions to counteract them."

"She can control your emotions?" Shane said, puzzled.

"Not exactly," Cam said as he read something on the computer, "She can use her own positive emotions as a shield against negative ones...sometimes, when the negativity bounces back, it takes parts of the positive shield along with it, and depending on how much it can absorb, it can affect a person in different ways." He paused for a minute then asked Dustin, "Did you notice something different about the way Paige has acted around you?"

"Well," Dustin replied, "At the track, she was angry at me at first but then she softened up...I tried to stay cold and distant but when I looked into her eyes, I...felt something...pulling me gently..."

Hunter shook his head. "Gently? That's not like Paige; usually, she's got a firm hold. Her shields are usually so strong that when the positive and negative attract each other, it brings about somewhat drastic changes."

"Bro, you think maybe she was subconsciously putting a block on her Talent?" Blake asked.

"Maybe...if she is, it's not gonna be good for her mental health," Hunter said quietly, "You wanna call her and check on her?"

"Uhhhhh..." Blake was hesitant; Paige seemed exhausted and the confrontation with Dustin made her feel uncomfortable at Ninja Ops. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of her frustration.

Hunter sighed as he grabbed the cell phone he left on the table earlier and dialed up Paige's cell phone. 


	4. New To The Team

**[Title] **_Have A Little Faith In Me_

**[Author] **_Alexandra Oliver_

**[E-Mail] **_crazyrangerfan@yahoo.com_

**[Genre] **_Drama_

**[Rating] **_PG or PG-13_

**[Timeline] **_Right after the previous chapter_

**[Disclaimer]** _I do NOT own Power Rangers or any of the characters except for Paige Adams._

**[Summary] **_Marah's betrayal has a lasting effect on the Yellow Wind Ranger. Will an old friend of the Bradleys be able to break through the walls Dustin built around his heart and prove herself worthy of his trust? _

**[Author's Note] **_All About Beevil is my favorite episode of Power Rangers Ninja Storm and I've seen it plenty of times. Dustin is my favorite Ranger too. Hmmm, yeah! I decided to write like a crazy madwoman so enjoy!_

*******_NO flames_**_, just **constructive criticism**, please. I'm always **open to suggestions** but I **ignore senseless bashing**. I believe **writing is an art** and **should be respected no matter what**._

**[Chapter 4] **_New To The Team_

"Yo, talk to me," Paige said into her cell phone when she answered it, stretched out on her bed.

Hunter's voice asked, "Hey, Paige! How are ya?"

"Well, I'm fine, all things considering...my left arm's in pain and I've got a headache the size of California but I'm okay..." Paige said, her tone of voice was a mix of frustration and disappointment in herself, "I should have listened to you and Blake..."

"I think telling him about the telempathy right away was a little too much too soon," Hunter told her, "It was a natural reaction. He'll come around once eventually. Deep down, he knows you're not out to get him."

"Yeah, but..."

"Is that a moment of hesitation from Paige Adams?" Hunter said a bit teasingly.

"Shut it, Hunter. I've been determined to get some answers and now that I know what I'm meant to do, I won't let _anyone _get in my way. I'm supposed to help you destroy Lothor and you know it. Lothor took my family away just like he took yours and he needs to pay for it."

"Paige, is that what you really believe?"

"What's the point of having this much power if I can't settle a score or two?"

"It's because we protect the innocent, Paige...we can't get caught in this idea of getting revenge. Blake and I went through that and let me tell you this: it's not worth it! I'm not gonna let that happen to you."

"Okay, so answer my question then...what's the point?"

"According to the Golden Scroll Prophecy, you are the heart of the Thunder Force...you're the key to the power of the team...but you can't let the goodness in you get clouded by this desire you have to seek revenge. The point is...we need you and the world needs you."

"Dustin doesn't seem to share the same point of view."

"He'll come around...why are you so concerned about his opinion of you anyway?"

"There's something that draws me to him...I don't understand...even with the strongest block I can manage, his emotions are still so overwhelming! I feel compelled to help him."

"Are you sure it's not just your telempathy messing with you? He's been struggling emotionally with a recent betrayal...but you should know that already..."

"Okay, yeah, but why am I reacting to it like this? Even if it was a matter of a little extra sensitivity, it wouldn't be this bad..."

"You think he might have a Talent?"

"Maybe...I haven't even seen him react to my emotions and adapt to them much less redirect them...he be might be a telempath to a small degree, redirecting his own emotions towards me might be a sort of Talent...maybe a Micro-Talent he does subconsciously..."

"Listen, you need to keep moving in the right direction...don't let this whole deal with Dustin get to you. Your natural mental block is not as strong as some others...you won't be able to keep this block up without feeling overwhelmed. Pace yourself and decide what you need to block; you can't block all of Dustin's emotions and you're just adding extra stress on yourself."

"All right...so...has Sensei said anything? Does this mean I'm officially part of the team?"

"Sensei actually talked to us after you left...you're one of us. Like I said, don't worry about Dustin."

"Wonderful..." 

"You need to be back here at Ninja Ops in an hour. Don't be late! Sensei has something important to tell you."

"Okay, bye!"

"Bye!"

~*~_*_~*~

Sensei decided to take the training outside by the waterfall. While Cam sparred with Hunter and Blake sparred with Shane, Dustin was sitting on a rock. Tori decided to join him to talk to him a little bit.

"Hey, Doofus," the blonde said playfully, "Talk to me."

Dustin didn't seem amused by his nickname. In fact, he didn't too amused about anything, especially in the past week and a half or so. "I know what you're doing and I don't wanna talk..." he mumbled.

"I wanna know what's going on with you...what you're thinking," Tori said, "It wasn't that long ago that we used to know each other like the back of our hands."

"Contrary to popular belief, I _have _grown up, more than anyone knows," the dark-haired guy told his best friend, "I'm not just the dumb one..."

"I'm sorry if anyone on the team ever made you feel like you're just the dumb one," Tori said in a soft apologetic voice, "I bet Marah didn't help..."

"No, she didn't...because of _her_, I learned the hard way that not everyone deserves my trust. That's a lesson I'm not gonna forget anytime soon." Dustin sounded disgusted at himself for trusting Marah.

"This is crazy! You've gone from one extreme to the other...What I meant before was that you need to be more careful about who you trust. I never said that you shouldn't give people a chance."

Dustin got quiet as Paige's voice took over his mind. _"We need to talk. It looks like ever since we met, you've had a problem with me. If you've got one, let's solve it right now because I think you're worth getting to know better. I don't know what your deal is but I wanna know what I'm doing wrong!" _

"Dustin?" Tori asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah...I'm still thinking about Paige..."

Tori smiled lightly as she said, "C'mon, Dustin...you need to realize that when you're a risk taker, whether it's with your bike, as a Ranger, with your heart or your trust, there's bound to be one person who'll hurt you. You'll try to be more careful but you won't be able to stop taking risks and being so trusting. It's as big a part of you as your Ninja training or your curly hair."

"I can die trying," Dustin said with a challenging tone of voice.

Tori smirked. "I can see you're slowly breaking down...you can pretend you don't care about Paige but I know you were freaked out when she got hurt. You wouldn't have brought her to Ninja Ops if you didn't care. I can tell how she gets under your skin..."

"You know what? You're right; she _does_ get under my skin! Having her on the team won't work for me," Dustin snapped in a low voice, "I can't have some freak know what I'm feeling on a regular basis!"

"Paige is _not _a freak! Do I need to remind you that she saved your sorry butt earlier?" Tori said in a firm voice, "You are not one to judge; you hardly know enough about her! She hasn't done anything wrong! If she's guilty of anything, it's using her telempathy to try and be your friend. Remember that."

Dustin gave Tori a wide-eyed look before she left to team up with Blake and challenge Shane to a two-on-one sparring match.

~*~_*_~*~

Paige stepped into the Command Central of Ninja Ops and approached Sensei. She bowed at him as a sign of respect.

"Hello, Sensei," she greeted him politely.

"Hello, Paige," he replied, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling well, considering my head is throbbing and my arm's a bit scratched up," Paige told him as she smiled faintly.

"I spoke to the other Rangers and we believe that you would make a formidable ally to have by our side; we have decided that there is a place for you here with us, if you'd like it," the Guinea Pig told Paige.

"Sensei, you saw how Dustin was earlier," Paige said, concerned, "How is _that _gonna work?"

"Dustin will come around...as a matter of fact, he is a key element in the mission you are about to embark on. To claim your Zord, you must travel to the Cave of Destiny near Mount Kawasaki and past a series of tests to free the lost Eagle Zord."

"Okay, my quest, my Zord...how does Dustin fit in?" Paige asked, slightly confused.

"You will not be able to go on this journey alone; the path towards your goal will be littered with obstacles. You must take someone with you in case you encounter more trouble than you can handle."

"But why Dustin?"

"Because you are a part of the same section of the Ninja Power Spectrum Grid. Your Ninja Ranger powers are interlinked in the grid, therefore making you connected to him in a very powerful way."

Paige looked curious as she leaned against Cam's chair. "How exactly are we connected?" 

      "There are three teams, the Elemental team, the Thunder team and the Lightning team and each team is further divided into three sections, the leadership section, the physical strength section and the emotional strength section...your biological father was a part of the Lightning team. He was in the leadership section as the Gold Lightning Ranger, while your biological mother was a second generation Thunder Ranger acting as the emotional pilar of her team, which means she held the Gold Thunder Ranger powers. There was no doubt you would become a Gold Ranger, but the role you were to play was a tough one to determine until you were old enough to begin your Ninja studies."

"So...because Dustin and I are in the same section of the grid, the emotional strength section, we're connected somehow?"

"Precisely, young lady, and since each team finds its strength in having each member present, we couldn't rely on that in case of an attack on Blue Bay Harbor. The only way an individual of a team can increase his or her strength is to team up with an individual playing a similar role on another team."

"So it _has _to be Dustin? I'm sorry, Sensei, but I have to respectfully disagree with that. You have to understand that Dustin doesn't seem to care much for me. You've witnessed our confrontation here earlier. I find it hard to believe he would be willing to help me. What about Cam?"

"The Samurai team has its own separate grid. He will not be of any help to you and his energies would be better spent here."

"All right, I'll go...but is there a way that maybe you could talk to him for me?"

Sensei thought about it for a moment. "If you believe this will help, I will have a talk with him."

"Please tell him to meet me at my place if you convince him to come along with me on my quest. My address is 2425 Oceanside Boulevard." Paige gave up on trying to find a loophole around having Dustin on board. 

"There is a rolled up map on the third shelf from the top the bookcase against the wall behind you. Take that and use it to guide you in your journey."

Paige retrieved the map as the other six Rangers stepped into the room after their training; Tori and Blake sat at the table on one side while Hunter and Shane sat in front of them, Cam sat at the supercomputer and Dustin sat leaning against the wall near Cam.

Paige walked back to where Sensei was standing and said to him, "Thanks...so I guess I gotta go pack for a weekend?"

"Yes..." Sensei said, "Good luck."

Paige nodded, then bowed at Sensei and walked off.

"A weekend? Where's Paige going?" Blake asked curiously.

"She must go on a mission to release the lost Eagle Zord from the Cave of Destiny by Mount Kawasaki," Sensei explained.

"Great, I hope she takes her time," Dustin mumbled.

Blake and Tori glared at Dustin as Sensei said, "Funny you should say that, Dustin, because you are going with her."

Dustin stood up and walked over to where Sensei stood. "I have to go with her???" he exclaimed with a shocked expression on his face. He didn't argue as Tori's words from their earlier conversation replayed in his head. _"C'mon, Dustin...you need to realize that when you're a risk taker, whether it's with your bike, as a Ranger, with your heart or your trust, there's bound to be one person who'll hurt you. You'll try to be more careful but you won't be able to stop taking risks and being so trusting. It's as big a part of you as your Ninja training or your curly hair."_

"Yes, Dustin, you must. You must help her. She may encounter some serious trouble. I do realize that there has been some bad blood between the two of you but I also know that you are not able to turn your back on a person who needs your help."

"You're right, Sensei," Dustin admitted after a moment, "I guess that means I need to pack for a weekend too, huh?"

"Yes," Sensei replied firmly.

"Have fun, bro!" Hunter said with a chuckle.

Blake added, "Try not to give her too much of a hard time. She's a good person...a little unstable, but a good person anyway."

Dustin rolled his eyes at the brothers and said, "All right, I'll be nice. Where do I have to meet her?"

"2425 Oceanside Boulevard," Sensei said to him, "Now go on!"

After bowing to Sensei, Dustin left with a sigh.

~*~_*_~*~

Paige finished the last of her packing. She had a backpack and a sports bag ready and she let herself relax for a moment while waiting for Dustin to come. She had a feeling that he wouldn't dare to argue with his Sensei and was half-expecting him to come because of that.

The doorbell rang sometime later and Paige dragged herself off her bed and out of her room to answer the door. She opened the door and found Dustin standing there with a couple of bags and a serious look on his face.

"Let's get this over with," Dustin said in a calm voice.

Paige nodded. "Wanna come in for a bit?" she said in an equally calm voice, "I just need to review the map before we go."

Paige moved out of the way as Dustin stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him. He then followed Paige into the kitchen room, dropped his bags by the stool at the end of the counter and sat down on the stool as she stood in front of him and looked down at a piece of paper.

"Listen to me, and listen to me carefully," Paige said firmly, "I would appreciate it if you would drop your misconceptions of me for a couple of days so I can get my job done and free this Eagle Zord. I need it to be an official part of the team, Zord and everything, so don't get any ideas about sabotaging this mission for me."

Dustin went to open his mouth to reply but he felt a force stop hiim. He nodded with a slightly forced smile.

Changing her tone of voice to casual one, the redhead offered, "You want a drink? Soda? Juice? A snack, maybe? I've got chocolate chip oatmeal cookies..."

"No thanks, Paige," Dustin replied with a slightly more sincere smile, "I'm all right." 

"Are you okay?" Paige asked gently.

"I think the question is whether _you're _okay or not," Dustin countered, "What's the deal?"

"What do you mean?" Paige said innocently.

"I felt it just now and I've felt it before, at the track."

Paige's eyes lowered her eyes towards the map. "I'm usually really good at controlling my Talent...it's just that ever since that moment I first met you, everything's been so crazy. I didn't mean to project any of my own emotions onto you. It's self-defense, I guess...a weird reaction to you. I know you've been going through some crazy stuff lately..."

"I felt your energy and your determination sort of...cancel out my own negative feelings," Dustin told her, "Cam told us it's a...neutra...neutre..."

"...neutralizing effect," Paige finished off, "Yeah, but usually, I decide when that happens. I think it has something to do with our connection in the Ninja Power Spectrum Grid."

"Yeah, I never took Ninja History 101 all that seriously. Great time to catch up on my Zzzzz's!" Dustin chuckled, trying to get the atmosphere light.

"Ha, that's cute! I kinda figured you to be the one sleeping in class," Paige said with a light chuckle of her own.

"So, what's going on with the trip? Have you figured out where we're going?" Dustin asked curiously.

"Yeah, do you drive?" Paige suggested, "We could split the driving duties, if you wanna."

"No, sorry, I don't drive; you'll have to take care of all that." Dustin gave Paige an apologetic smile.

As Paige rolled up the map, she said, "Let's do it, baby! It's go time!"

"Gee, I thought we were in the same section of the grid," Dustin pointed out, "You sound more like a leader than an 'emotional pilar'."

"My biological father was a Lightning Ninja; that's where I get my Talent and my charisma," Paige explained, "I've been told I've taken after my biological mother though, hence the Thunder Ninja powers."

Dustin nodded. "All right, well, I'm right behind you." He went to the front door with his bags and waited for Paige as she retrieved her stuff from her room.

Paige joined Dustin with her stuff and they stood by the door without saying a word for a moment.

"Are you nervous about this?" Dustin said quietly.

"Sensei made it clear that there was something dangerous ahead and it's dangerous enough to have to have you around just in case I might need your help so I'm definitely nervous," Paige admitted.

"Well, listen to me," Dustin said as he took her right hand into both of his and looked directly into her green eyes, "I can't deny the connection between us; it practically made the choice for me when it came to me joining you on this mission. No matter what happens, we're in this together."

Paige managed a faint smile then she said in a soft yet confident voice, "Ain't nothing to it but to do it! Let's go!" She paused and added, "You don't mind if we share a tent, do you? I don't have my own."

"Mine's big enough for three." Dustin opened the door and said, "Ladies first."

Paige stepped out onto the front porch, followed by Dustin then she locked the front door. She then led Dustin to her yellow and black Mini Cooper and helped him put their luggage into the trunk. Once they were ready, they hopped into the car and headed off.

Paige started the car and asked Dustin with a playful, almost flirtatious, tone of voice, "Are you ready for me to take you on the ride of your life?"

"Do I have a choice?" Dustin shot back with his own playful tone of voice.

Paige shook her head as she drove off. She felt that it was the beginning of a wonderful friendship, something new and exciting. She couldn't wait to figure out where it would take the both of them.


	5. Getting To Know You

**[Title] **_Have A Little Faith In Me_

**[Author] **_Alexandra Oliver_

**[E-Mail] **_crazyrangerfan@yahoo.com_

**[Genre] **_Drama_

**[Rating] **_PG or PG-13_

**[Timeline] **_Right after the previous chapter_

**[Disclaimer]** _I do NOT own Power Rangers or any of the characters except for Paige Adams. I also do not own the song Fell In Love With A Boy by Joss Stone._

**[Summary] **_Marah's betrayal has a lasting effect on the Yellow Wind Ranger. Will an old friend of the Bradleys be able to break through the walls Dustin built around his heart and prove herself worthy of his trust? _

**[Author's Note] **_All About Beevil is my favorite episode of Power Rangers Ninja Storm and I've seen it plenty of times. Dustin is my favorite Ranger too. Hmmm, yeah! I decided to write like a crazy madwoman so enjoy!_

*******_NO flames_**_, just **constructive criticism**, please. I'm always **open to suggestions** but I **ignore senseless bashing**. I believe **writing is an art** and **should be respected no matter what**._

**[Chapter 5] **_Getting To Know You_

Blake and Tori were sitting on the beach, contemplating the fate of their best friends. They were very concerned that Paige and Dustin would end up killing each other before the weekend was done.

"I think Dustin's still creeped out about Paige's Talent," Tori told Blake, "I'm not sure it's a good idea for them to spend a weekend together just the two of them."

"Hunter told me about his last conversation with Paige," Blake said, "I think her powers are getting a bit unstable. Her telempathy's messing with her head. If she doesn't get a good hold on it, Dustin could suffer the aftereffects of her random projections."

"Are you saying she could inadvertantly control Dustin's emotions?" Tori looked shocked at Blake's revelation.

"She would never purposely use her Talent for her own personal gain or to harm anyone," Blake told her, "It's just that it seems as though Dustin has an effect on her that she can't explain, at least according to Hunter."

"Do you think they'll be all right for the weekend?" Tori asked.

"Honestly, I'm not all that sure," Blake answered, "I guess it all depends on Paige's ability to get a firm grip on her Talent."

Tori smiled faintly as she stood up and went to catch a few waves. Blake hoped that for her sake and Dustin's, Paige would manage to get her Talent in check and keep it that way.

~*~_*_~*~

With the moon roof opened and the stereo pumped up with her favorite music, Paige drove while Dustin sat back on the passenger's seat, relaxing as he looked out the window, grinning at Paige's singing from time to time.

"Fell in love with a boy...fell in love once and almost completely...he's in love with the world...and sometimes these feelings can be so misleading...he turns, he says 'are you all right?'...oh I must fine 'coz my heart's still beating...come and kiss me by the riverside...Sarah says it's cool, she don't consider it cheating..."

Dustin interrupted Paige's singing and said, "That's cute."

"Thank you," Paige said politely, "If you must know, I am the karaoke queen of the Adams family."

"The Adams family started when..."

With one hand on the steering wheel, Paige swung her right hand at Dustin and nailed his shoulder before he could finished the line of the song that Paige was all too familiar with.

"Ow...I guess I had that one coming!" 

Chuckling, Paige just put her right hand back on the steering wheel. For a while the car grew silent as Joss Stone's voice faded away. The redhead turned the radio off and continued to drive.

"Thanks for being honest with me earlier," Paige said quietly, "I thought it was a bad idea for you to come with me...but I was wrong."

"I have to admit, I was a bit weirded out by the idea that you have the power to control people's emotions...but now that I took the chance to get to know you, I'm starting to see that that the Talent is only as scary as the person who has it."

"Well, thank you! I'm glad you think I'm scary!"

"That's not what I meant, Paige..."

"I know...I'm just playing with you."

"So you and Blake...are you guys really close?"

"He and I are close friends, practically like siblings, I assure you. I'm single if that's what you want to know."

"Good..."

"Why do you wanna know?"

"I shouldn't say but...Tori kinda has a crush on Blake."

Paige kept her eyes straight ahead on the road so that Dustin wouldn't be able to see the look of disappointment in her eyes. She stopped speaking for a moment.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" Dustin's voice broke through her thoughts, "Was it something I said?"

Paige shook her head. "Nothing you should worry about."

~*~_*_~*~

        Shane and Hunter were sitting on the couch in the lounge at Storm Chargers. Shane was watching a skateboarding video while Hunter had his nose behind a motocross magazine.

"You're kinda quiet," Shane commented.

Hunter put his magazine down on his lap and replied, "Well, you know how Dustin is around Paige. I'm just worried about them taking a trip together."

"You know more than you're telling." Shane raised his left eyebrow at Hunter.

"It's nothing to be too concerned about," Hunter told him, "It's just that..."

"What? C'mon, Hunter! Out with it!" Shane prompted his friend, "What's going on?"

"I have a feeling that there's more going on with Paige's Talent but I'm not sure what exactly," Hunter explained, "It's more of a vibe than anything."

Shane nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I'm worried about Dustin too. You think they'll kill each other before they get back?"

"Hopefully, Paige won't go off the deep end," Hunter replied with a smirk.

Shane glanced at his morpher when it beeped and said, "C'mon, let's go!" 

Hunter led Shane out of Storm Chargers through the back door and hid by the back entrance behind the delivery truck.

"Go for Shane!" Shane said into his morpher, "What's up?"

"We have a situation downtown," Cam said, "I've already told Blake and Tori. I'll see you guys there."

"Right!" Hunter said. 

Shane nodded at Hunter then they took off.

~*~_*_~*~

"Hey, park over there; you look like you could use a break."

After four hours of driving, Paige wasn't tired at all but she humored Dustin and parked in the parking lot by an empty beach. "Okay, why did I park here?" 

Dustin grinned at Paige and said, "We're taking a break from the road. C'mon, Sensei said we had the weekend so let's make the best of it. We could hang out on the beach and get to know each other better..."

"Okay, what's with the sudden turnaround, Dustin?" Paige asked with a slight smile, "I thought there were still some trust issues..."

"Maybe your energy's just so contaigious," Dustin replied, "That and I decided you were worth taking a chance on. You seem cool..."

"Okay, I'll bite," Paige told him, "We'll chill out here for a bit...but we gotta get out there tonight and set up camp."

"Cool," Dustin said as he got out of the car.

Paige watched as her curly-haired companion took his yellow t-shirt off to reveal a slightly tanned chest. She got out of the car as he took his shirt and put it in the trunk.

"Are you ready for a swim?" Dustin said with a mischivious sparkle in his eyes as he pulled out a towel from his bag.

As she pulled out her own towel, Paige told him jokingly, "I'm sorry but I'm not the kind of girl that'll get undressed at the drop of a hat."

"Too bad," Dustin said playfully as he walked towards the beach, "I thought you were the carefree one!"

Paige slammed the trunk shut and followed Dustin.

"Well? Are you going to join me for a swim?" Dustin asked once they had chosen a spot on the sand to put their towels down on. Paige went to take off her shirt but Dustin stopped her. "Whoa! I never asked you to..."

"Get naked? Nah, I've got a suit underneath." Paige chuckled as she put her yellow tank top on her towel and took off her white flowery skirt to reveal her tight yellow tankini bathing suit.

"Always ready for whatever, huh?" Dustin commented, shaking his head.

"I always am," Paige replied.

Dustin headed towards the water but stopped when he realized that Paige hadn't followed him. He went back to where she was still standing on her towel, a little dazed.

"Are you okay?" Dustin asked her, concerned.

The pain was so intense that Paige couldn't answer. She nodded as she buried her face into her hands to hide her expression of sheer agony.

"No, you're not...is this from when you took that hit for me? Were you badly hurt?" Dustin asked.

Paige shook her head but when Dustin pulled her hands off her face, he could clearly she was in a bit of pain. Dustin wrapped his arms around Paige in an attempt to comfort her.

Paige had never experienced pain that intense in her life. She tried to reassure Dustin that she was okay but not a single sound could come out. Before she knew it, she felt her legs give in.

Dustin caught Paige before she hit the sand. He sat down and held the redhead in his arms, waiting for her to wake up.

About five minutes later, Paige opened her green eyes and focused in on Dustin's hazel eyes.

"Are you okay?" Dustin asked as he helped Paige sit up.

Paige nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine...we should really go."

"No, I'm not gonna let you drive until I know you're all right."

"I'm fine...we need to get out to the Cave Of Destiny before dark." By using a serious tone of voice, Paige hoped that Dustin would get the message.

Dustin's expression was filled with worry but he didn't argue with her. "As long as you feel you're up to it. I just wish I could drive so that you could relax a little more."

"Don't worry about," Paige said, flashing Dustin a bright confident smile, "I can make it the rest of the way through. Trust me, all right?"

"For the first time since our first encounter, I might actually just do that," Dustin replied, smiling back at Paige.

~*~_*_~*~

As the day turned to night, Hunter and Blake plopped onto the ground while Shane and Tori sat the table and Cam sat on the leather chair at the computer, facing his teammates.

"Man, Lothor doesn't know when to give up!" Shane exclaimed.

With a mischivious smile, Blake said, "Hey, you think we could use the supercomputer to spy on Dustin and Paige?"

"Yes, but we can't use the supercomputer for our own personal entertainment," Cam said sternly, "Besides, even if we did see the two of them in trouble, we couldn't go save them. Paige has to save the Eagle Zord on her own. Besides, she's got Dustin watching her back. She'll be fine."

"You're right, but don't you wanna take a little peek?" Tori asked Cam, "Are you the least bit curious?"

Without saying another word, Cam turned his chair around, activated the supercomputer and traced Dustin's signal. The other Rangers gathered around Cam to see what he managed to get on-screen, which was a picture of Paige and Dustin sitting in her Mini Cooper, their seats fully reclined and the moon roof completely opened. They had been watching the sunset.

"They seem to be getting along," Hunter commented.

"She looks sane to me," Shane chimed in.

"How about getting some sound?" Blake asked Cam.

"Sorry, I can't, it's only a visual signal," Cam said.

Tori grinned. "Is it just me or is Dustin shirtless?"

"You think...?" Blake began to say.

"Nah!" the other four Rangers said in unison.

Cam turned off the visual as Paige tossed a yellow t-shirt at Dustin. "Okay, that's enough, you guys. Go home."

The Wind and Thunder Rangers walked out of Ninja Ops, talking about Dustin and Paige. As soon as the coast was clear, Cam reactivated the visual.

_"I always had a thing for reality TV," _the Green Samurai Ranger thought to himself as he watched Paige driving with Dustin next to her.

~*~_*_~*~

Hours later, Paige parked the car right before the path leading towards Mount Kawasaki.

"Looks like we gotta walk the rest of the way," Paige said with a smile, "According to the map, it's about a mile from here."

"You think we could use our Ninja powers?" Dustin suggested.

Paige nodded. She counted down from 3 to 1 and streaked off, followed by Dustin. They ended up right at their destination. They dropped their bags and began to set up camp.

"You think I'm ready for what's inside that cave?" Paige asked after they had settled in and were sitting around the fire.

As Dustin roasted the marshmallow at the end of his stick, he replied, "Yeah, I don't just think you're ready, I know you're ready."

Paige smiled as Dustin put a S'more together and handed it to her. "Thanks."

"I used the chocolate you gave me," Dustin explained.

Paige grinned as she ate. Dustin had changed in the past two days and she was thrilled. She sensed he was still a little nervous but for the first time, she felt they could get past anything.

"So, tell me, Dustin, what's your deepest darkest secret?"

Dustin smiled. "Oh wouldn't you like to know?" he said teasingly.

"Actually, I would," Paige said firmly, "C'mon...you say you trust me but...a part of you's still afraid. You said you'd tell me what's going on so tell me."

"But that's...please don't make me do this..."

Paige scooted over and put her left hand on his right leg. "It's just the two of us...c'mon, tell me...what's going on? What can I do to help you? I know you're in pain."

"Listen, you're the one who needs my help right now. Can we talk about this later?"

"Listen, I care...a lot...so talk to me."

"Why are you insisting on me talking right now?"

Paige replied, "I don't know...I have this weird feeling that you're in trouble...or that you will be soon..."

"I'm a Power Ranger, I can handle it," Dustin said, "Trust me."

After spending some time talking to each other about family, friends and life in general, Paige glanced at her watch. "10 o'clock already? I think I'm gonna turn in."

Dustin nodded. "I'll just put out the fire and I'll be right in." After a few minutes sitting by the fire, he put it out and went into the tent.

Inside the tent, Dustin unrolled his sleeping bag and got settled in. He glanced at the back of Paige's head and gently ran his finger through her red hair. Whether she was asleep or not, he couldn't tell because she was lying on her side but he decided not to find out. Instead, he listened to the sounds of the breathing filling the tent.

Paige a light gentle touch go from the ends of her hair all the way to the roots. She didn't move. She also listened to the breathing  in the tent and she thought back to the first time they had stopped on the trip. It had been Dustin's idea to stop on an empty beach to go for a swim and she felt up to it until the intense headache took over. She replayed the event over and over in her head until her eyelids closed in on her and all she saw was black.


	6. Quest For The Eagle Part I

**[Title] **_Have A Little Faith In Me_

**[Author] **_Alexandra Oliver_

**[E-Mail] **_crazyrangerfan@yahoo.com_

**[Genre] **_Drama_

**[Rating] **_PG or PG-13_

**[Timeline] **_The morning after the end of the previous chapter_

**[Disclaimer]** _I do NOT own Power Rangers or any of the characters except for Paige Adams._

**[Summary] **_Marah's betrayal has a lasting effect on the Yellow Wind Ranger. Will an old friend of the Bradleys be able to break through the walls Dustin built around his heart and prove herself worthy of his trust? _

**[Author's Note] **_All About Beevil is my favorite episode of Power Rangers Ninja Storm and I've seen it plenty of times. Dustin is my favorite Ranger too. Hmmm, yeah! I decided to write like a crazy madwoman so enjoy!_

_~Props to _**hartfelt **_for helping me out with this chapter…she really helped me put together the whole quest…I am so grateful for her help!_

_~As much as _**hartfelt **_tried to help me, I decided to cut the original version of this  chapter into two parts because I had trouble figuring out how to end the whole quest…so this is Part I. Enjoy!_

*******_NO flames_**_, just **constructive criticism**, please. I'm always **open to suggestions** but I **ignore senseless bashing**. I believe **writing is an art** and **should be respected no matter what**._

**[Chapter 6] **_Quest For The Eagle – Part I_

"Are you okay?"

Paige turned to face Dustin and answered, "Yeah. I'm just not sure if I'm ready to face what's in there."

Dustin nodded as he glanced at his watch. "It's 9...are we going in right now?"

Paige replied, "Yeah but we have to gather up our stuff..."

"I took care of that. I even streaked to your car to put it all away. I know we gotta get this done."

Paige sighed, hoping that the excuse would delay the inevitable. Unfortunately, while he was being helpful, Dustin eliminated the need for her to clean up. She pulled off her street clothes and revealed her Thunder Ninja uniform. Dustin did the same to reveal his Wind Ninja uniform and stood behind her. 

"Ladies first," he said with a grin.

Paige let out a frustrated grunt as she stepped into the cave, followed by Dustin. The place was dimly lit by a couple of torches at the entrance. Each of the teens picked up one of the torches then they walked deeper into the cave.

"You scared yet, Paige?" Dustin asked semi-teasingly.

Confidently, Paige replied, "Why would I be?"

Dustin shrugged as they came across a dead end. "So now what?" he asked.

Just as Dustin finished speaking, a rock began to glow, emitting a green light and a silver portal appeared out of nowhere.

"I guess we're supposed to go in that way," Paige said, pointing at the portal.

Dustin nodded. "Lad..."

Paige interrupted him, "Oh no, not this time. You first, buddy!"

Smiling, Dustin said, "I kinda figured that. It was worth a shot though!" He took a deep breath and walked through the portal.

Paige took a deep breath as well and followed Dustin. Once she arrived, she found her companion standing against a tree, watching a Thunder Ninja and a Lightning Ninja, going through a few motions from their forms. It seemed like the girl in the Thunder Ninja Academy uniform was helping the guy in the Lightning Ninja Academy get a few moves down. She slowly walked towards Dustin and stood behind him to watch the two Ninjas.

"Are those two your biological parents?" Dustin whispered to her, "They look awesome!"

"I think so...Sensei Amano showed me a picture of my mom so I guess the guy's my dad...but what does this have to do with my mission?" Paige looked confused as her head begin to throb again.

"You don't look like you're up for this yet," Dustin said firmly, "Maybe we should go back."

"The portal closed behind me so there's no turning back," Paige replied, "We need to figure this out!"

Dustin turned to face Paige and told her, "Relax! You need to take it easy, take the whole thing one step at a time."

"What?"

"You're projecting again, Paige, and you're making me nervous at the same time."

Paige chuckled as an explosion was heard and the face of evil arrived.

"Lothor!" Paige whispered in a panic, "We gotta help them!"

Before they could move, Paige's headache intensified. Dustin wrapped his arms around her to prevent her from going after Lothor.

"You gotta let me go!" Paige mumbled, her face buried against her partner, "I need to help my parents…please…"

"I'll be damned if I let you go out there like this," Dustin said in a serious voice, "I'm not gonna let that creep hurt you!"

Dustin began to get nervous as he felt Paige's tears seep through his uniform and onto the skin on his chest. He knew that if he let her go, she would be in trouble so he tightened his grip, even though a part of him wanted to let fight. He led her to a bigger tree to block her view of the fight. He had a feeling neither one of them wanted to see the outcome. He sat down and she followed, still relying on the curly-haired guy to guide her. He positioned her on his lap as she leaned against him, her eyes closed.

A couple of minutes later, Paige opened her eyes again. "I don't know what the deal is with these headaches but I hate them," she mumbled, not moving from her spot for a moment.

"Listen, Paige," Dustin said gently, "You can't fix everything. You're only human…you're Talented, but still just human. You have limitations. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"That's a LIE! You don't care! If you did, you'd let me save my parents, they're in trouble!" Paige stood up and headed for where they had seen the fight begin.

Dustin followed suit and found Paige standing there, holding a yellow baby blanket. He stood behind her for moral support.

"They're gone," Paige said, choking up, "My second chance just slipped away."

"Your parents made a sacrifice for you," Dustin said soothingly, "I may not know much, but I have a feeling they wouldn't want you making rash decisions. They would want you to fight and win your battles…this time wasn't your battle to fight."

"You're right, Dustin, you don't know much! How am I gonna save the Eagle Zord if I couldn't save my parents?" Paige said softly as she used the small blanket as a bandanna for her hair. 

Dustin reached for her right hand and held it gently. "C'mon…you can do this. I'm right behind you."

Feeling the warmth of Dustin's touch like a surge all the way up her arm, Paige snapped out of her trance and they began to move forward. 

"I know you're upset but I couldn't let you fight…" Dustin began but was silenced by Paige when she put her finger on his lips and stopped walking.

"Shhhh! Do you hear that?" she whispered to him, their faces only inches apart.

The pair listened carefully and heard some faint laughter from three different children, two boys and a girl. 

Paige followed the sound of the laughter and Dustin knew he had to follow her to keep her out of trouble. They took a right turn onto a path and they walked through the thick forest.

"Ha ha, c'mon, last one to the club house is a big weenie!!!" the girl exclaimed, squealing in delight.

"You're always the weenie!" a boy exclaimed back.

A slightly older sounding boy added, "You're too slow!"

Paige chuckled as she realized what was going on. She followed the sound of the children towards a cabin where they had retreated to, stopping behind a nearby tree. Dustin followed closely behind her, looking around curiously.

"What's going on?" Dustin whispered to the redhead in front of him, "What's with the kids and that cabin?"

"Stay back here and watch out for danger," Paige instructed him, "I'm gonna take a look at what those kids are up to."

Dustin didn't argue. He knew that they were still on a quest and despite being sidetracked, he half-expected some danger to come their way. "All right but hurry back!" he replied, "We still have a Zord to release."

Paige nodded and then she headed to the cabin. Just as she was about to knock on the door, it swung open to reveal a miniature version of her with red hair, standing in the exacting same fighting pose she used while miniature versions of Blake and Hunter were standing behind her.

"Who are you?" she yelled out, "What are you doing out here?"

Paige chuckled as she used her telempathy to calm the child down. "Relax, Munchkin, I was just walking by," she said to her younger self soothingly.

The young girl's face and her stance relaxed as the younger version of Blake said, "See! There are no evil space ninjas out there."

"We've got cookies, wanna come in?" the younger Blake asked the older Paige with his signature grin.

Paige walked into the cabin to join the children for a snack.

As they sat around the table and had cookies and milk, Blake said, "We're not used to sharing this club house with anyone. This is our special place..."

"It's a club for people without parents," Hunter said bluntly.

The younger version of Paige looked at her with a hopeful look and added, "Maybe you could be my pretend Mom! Hunter and Blake are my pretend brothers and you could ask your friend outside to be my pretend Dad."

Paige was taken aback at her younger self's suggestion. "Uh...wow..." she said, shocked.

"By the way, I'm Blake, that's my brother Hunter and the Munchkin's our best friend Paige."

"My name's Paige too."

"Wow..." 

Paige saw her own green eyes looking back at her as she said, "This is really cool of you guys to let me into your cabin. Do you wanna meet my friend Dustin?"

"Sure!" her miniature look-alike replied, "We could be a family!"

"Paige!" Hunter hissed, being the same brooding guy he had always been, "Stop that!"

Before Blake could say anything, Dustin burst through the door and said, "Paige, we gotta get outta here!"

"Huh?" both girls responded.

"No!" the little Paige yelled out, "We're supposed to be a family! NO ONE'S LEAVING!"

Paige recognized the stubbornness she harbored as a child and felt it coming back somewhat. "No, Dustin, I'm staying. I can't leave her behind."

"No...you can't stay. We have something important to do right now!" Dustin couldn't think of anything more convincing to say as his gaze went from the younger versions of the Bradleys to the two versions of Paige standing in front of him.

"Dustin...think about the children...they need someone to look out for them here," the tall redhead said calmly, "We can't just leave them here."

"We can take care of ourselves," Hunter said firmly, using an older brother's superior tone of voice.

"You gotta focus on what's important!" Dustin exclaimed as he grabbed Paige's shoulders and turned her to face him, "Have you completely forgotten why we're here!?"

"I don't know..." Paige said in a quiet tone of voice, "I just..."

"You need to walk away right now, Paige...if there's ever a time we needed to trust each other, it's right now."

"But you don't...trust me, I mean..."

"Now's as good a time as any to take a leap of faith. All you have to do is take my hand and we'll make it." Dustin extended his hand out, waiting for Paige's response.

Paige looked at Dustin then her younger self. She was torn between going with Dustin to finish her mission and staying with the children. If she stayed, she knew she wouldn't have to worry about failing. She would be giving herself the best gift, the gift of a family. If she could convince Dustin to stay, it would be perfect…

"C'mon, Paige!" Dustin pleaded with her, "This is an illusion! This isn't real! You have to come with me right now! We have to go!"

"Wait, you don't know that!" Paige shot back.

"Someone was telling me something out there, Paige…you gotta believe me!"

Paige remained hesitant. Just as she was about to turn to the children again, she felt Dustin's hands grab her shoulders and turn her around like he had earlier. He pulled her close to him. 

"I can't let you go," he whispered when their faces were merely inches apart. He slowly moved in and placed his lips on hers to prevent her from arguing. The kiss was soft and gentle and only lasted a short moment, but it was enough to snap Paige from her trance.

Paige gasped as everything around them vanished. The children, the table, and the cabin…soon, they were standing in the middle of the forest again.

"Okay, that was just _way _too weird!" Paige commented as she took a look around while they walked down the path they had been taking.

Agitated, Dustin said, "Something's out here…I saw a shadow while you were in the cabin and I heard a woman's voice." When Paige took his left hand with her right one, he felt himself relax as he added, "Listen, I know things haven't been going your way…"

"Some of them…but…did you really mean what you said about taking a leap of faith?" Paige found herself asking him softly.

"Mistakes in the past shouldn't affect a bright future, right?" was Dustin's reply.

Paige nodded. "Does this mean you're gonna tell me what happened to get you so wound up before?"

"Maybe some other time," Dustin answered with a grin.

Paige didn't say another word. She continued to hold Dustin's as if she were afraid to lose him if she let go. "I think you may be right, someone's following us," she said with an urgent whisper after a few minutes of walking.


	7. Quest For The Eagle Part II

**[Title] **_Have A Little Faith In Me_

**[Author] **_Alexandra Oliver_

**[E-Mail] **_crazyrangerfan@yahoo.com_

**[Genre] **_Drama_

**[Rating] **_PG or PG-13_

**[Timeline] **_About an hour after the end of the previous chapter_

**[Disclaimer]** _I do NOT own Power Rangers or any of the characters except for Paige Adams._

**[Summary] **_Marah's betrayal has a lasting effect on the Yellow Wind Ranger. Will an old friend of the Bradleys be able to break through the walls Dustin built around his heart and prove herself worthy of his trust? _

**[Author's Note] **_All About Beevil is my favorite episode of Power Rangers Ninja Storm and I've seen it plenty of times. Dustin is my favorite Ranger too. Hmmm, yeah! I decided to write like a crazy madwoman so enjoy!_

_~ Gotta thank _**hartfelt **_yet again…thanks to her, this fic is history! Finished, done, the end, __la fin__! Whoooooooo! Oh yeah, baby!_

_~ Okay, _**SuRfgUrL1**_, it's not the fluffy ending you wanted...but I decided this would work so much better with what I have planned for my epic fic!  _

*******_NO flames_**_, just **constructive criticism**, please. I'm always **open to suggestions** but I **ignore senseless bashing**. I believe **writing is an art** and **should be respected no matter what**._

**[Chapter 7] **_Quest For The Eagle - Part II_

As the pair of Ninjas reached the end of the path they had been walking on, they found themselves standing in front of a gate.

"After the emotional hell I've been through…that Eagle Zord better be on the other side," Paige said with a hint of frustration in her tired-sounding voice.

Dustin pulled his hand out of hers, approached the gate and turned to face Paige. "C'mon! Let's open this bad boy!" 

As the twosome went to open the gate, the pair of rock creatures guarding the gate came to life and attacked. The two Ninjas rolled out of the way and were soon engaged in battle.

"Whoa!" Dustin called out as he ran up the cliff, "It's a shame they don't cure ugly!" He managed to lure the monster up the cliff and send him flying into the lake at the bottom after an intense fight.

Paige seemed to be keeping up with her opponent but couldn't shake it loose. All of a sudden, she felt herself grow stronger. She unleashed her strongest kick, propelling the rock creature all the way into the gate, causing it to crumble. 

The gate before them swung open and a golden glow surrounded them.

"Young Thunder Ranger, please step forward," a woman's voice announced, "For the final phase of your mission, you must go on by yourself."

Paige looked at Dustin and said, "This is it…"

"I'm not going anywhere. Do what you have to do."

"Thanks for the help…I'll see ya on the outside!" She grinned playfully at Dustin before walking towards the golden light.

As Dustin watched Paige disappear into the light and the gates close in front of him, a part of him was nervous but he could feel her soothing energy from a distance.

As Paige walked on towards the source of the light, she felt that there was something oddly familiar about the woman speaking to her. She noticed a majestic statue of an eagle in front of her and stopped to admire it.

"I'm so glad you made it, Amariyah," the same woman's voice said. 

"But my name is Paige," the startled girl said as she faced the woman behind her.

"Yes, it is, in the Thunder Ninja Academy registrar," the woman explained, "We had to change your name to protect you from Lothor."

As Paige approached the stranger, she found her green eyes looking back at her, just as they had when her younger self was looking at her. "Are you my…"

"Yes, I am your mother, Amalda Stormwilder."

Paige looked at her in utter disbelief. "This is so unreal…"

"You hold the key in your heart to unlock the Eagle that once flew free to protect the universe…you have already proven yourself worthy of such power but there is one last test for you to pass before you can control your mighty Zord."

"You mean...those illusions were a test? You and my father getting attacked by Lothor, the cabin with my younger self...that was all there to test me?" Paige asked.

"The first illusion was to test your sense of duty...just as I expected, you were quickly ready to help. When the headache occured, I realized there was a glitch in that part of the test but you proved to me that you had not been using your Talent for selfish reasons. Accepting you still have limitations despite your highly special skill was a lesson you needed to learn and Dustin was a great help."

"Yeah, Dustin..." Paige's voice faded away as she spoke. She paused then added in a stronger controlled voice, "What about the children? Why did I see younger versions of me, Hunter and Blake?"

"I had to see if you were ready to let go of the past...and it was clear to me that you were ready and that there's someone you want to share the future with. You would not have snapped out of the trance unless you really wanted to and when Dustin's kiss occured, it was enough to bring you back."

"I don't know if I appreciate this matchmaking from the grave...Amalda," Paige said coolly, "But I assure you that there's nothing going on with me and Dustin."

"All right then, prove it. I will release the Eagle Zord to you once you prove to me that you do not feel anything towards your travelling companion, that the connection I know exists between the both of you is not as deep as I had expected."

Paige's eyes widened at the challenge. "That's it? I get my Zord after _that? _Piece of cake!" She grinned widely then added, "All right, I'm ready. How do I prove that I don't have a romantic connection with Dustin?"

Amalda pointed to a floating door behind her. "All you have to do is step into The Chamber of Truth. Afterwards, you must decide whether you want the life you've dreamed of as a child...at the expense of young Dustin. All you have to do is explore The Chamber, then make your decision...but then again, it's already been made, hasn't it? Since you don't really care for Dustin, you'll pick your dream life, right?"

"I never said I didn't care for him...just not in a romantic sense!" Paige defended herself, "That wasn't a fair assumption!"

"Well, we'll just see about that! The Chamber of Truth will help you show me what is truly in your heart," Amalda told Paige.

Paige nodded. She walked over to the door, opened it and stepped into the Chamber of Truth.

*

"Don't worry about it, Champ! Just don't forget that he always leaves his right side open and vulnerable to attacks."

"No matter what happens, honey, we're still proud of you!"

Paige took a look around and recognized that she was on the grounds of the Wind Ninja Academy. She looked up at the adults talking to her and realized that she was standing between her mother and her father, who seemed so tall to her. 

_"All you have to do is step into The Chamber of Truth. Afterwards, you must decide whether you want the life you've always dreamed of as a child...at the expense of young Dustin."_

As she listened to Amalda's voice reply in her head, she finally put all the pieces together...she was living her 12 year-old self's dream life, the happy family and all. She noticed the banner hung up in front of the Academy's main building. The Twenty-Fifth Annual Tri-Ninja Skills And Combat Competition...

"Thanks, Mom, Dad..." she finally said, "I'll do my best."

"It's all we can ask of you, darling," her father replied.

"The competitors for the final round of the Unarmed Combat Tournament in the Advanced division are Amariyah Stormwilder from the Thunder Ninja Academy and Dustin Brooks from the Wind Ninja Academy," Sensei Amano announced.

Paige slowly stepped onto the fighting arena and found herself face-to-face with the younger version of Dustin, who seemed sad and distracted while being completely serious and focused, ready to win.

"Shake hands, you two," Sensei Amano instructed.

Paige took Dustin's hand and smiled. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," he said softly.

"All right, fighting position! Go!"

Paige tried to remember her moves from back in the day. She swiftly dodged a kick and attacked with a flurry of punches. _"What the hell is going on? This isn't the way Dustin fights..." _

She knew something was wrong right off the bat. She knew Dustin's fighting style and it wasn't it. Even as a child, every Ninja has a distinct fighting style that can only be improved over time, not changed completely.

Dustin did a back handspring to avoid Paige's attack and began a combination sequence that almost knocked her over backwards. She quickly sprung back and used a reverse roundhouse kick, knocking her opponent off-balance.

"Point, Stormwilder!" Sensei Amano announced.

The match went on and soon they were tied at 4 points apiece. As they battled for the last point, Paige sighed, trying to figure out what was going on. _"My parents are here...okay, what's the trade-off? I know it has something to do with Dustin...but what is it?"_

Without thinking, Paige put a little extra power in her front kick and threw Dustin off-balance again, causing him to slide on the ground.

"Match, Stormwilder!" Sensei Amano announced, raising Paige's hand up in the air.

Dustin congratulated her with a cold tone of voice and walked away, reminding Paige of the first time she had met him on Blue Bay Point. She got off the arena to find her parents, still trying to figure out what Amalda was trying to tell her. Before she knew it, her parents grabbed her and wrapped her in hugs.

"We're so proud of you, Reeya!" her mother exclaimed, "You did so well!"

"C'mon, honey, let's go celebrate!" her father added with a wide smile.

Paige noticed a yellow streak zoom by and she had a feeling she knew where it was headed. "Uh, mom, dad, can I meet you guys at the Blue Lagoon Restaurant? You know, the one with the big red lobster sign we drove by on the way here?"

"Why? What's wrong?" her mother asked her with a concerned tone of voice.

"I just wanna catch up with the Bradleys for a bit..." Paige said, lying to her parents.

"Okay, but be discreet with your Ninja powers," her father warned her.

Paige nodded and headed in the direction she saw the blur but was stopped by Hunter and Blake, who had been competing earlier that day and had stuck around to watch her. 

"You totally kicked butt out there!" Blake exclaimed.

"Your Thunder Blade techniques were a little off," Paige teased her Asian friend, who competed in the Advanced division of the Weapons Skills event, "Second place when you should have been first!"

"Yeah, how do you feel being surrounded by champions?" Hunter said, joining in on the teasing. The older of the Bradley brothers won the Junior division of the Unarmed Combat Tournament.

"Shut it, you two!" Blake exclaimed.

"I gotta go, you guys," Paige said quickly.

"What are you up to?" Blake asked, grabbing her arm to prevent her from leaving.

"I...uh...go..."

"Why are you still fixated with that Wind Ninja kid?" Hunter exclaimed, "He's all brooding and whatnot...ever since he lost his parents two years ago, he's been all depressed and sad and whatever. You've had this crush on him since we started going to the S&C Competition every year! Why don't you just drop it?"

"_WHAT_?" Paige exclaimed, "What are you talking about?"

"You're going to follow that Brooks kid again!" Blake said with an accusatory tone.

_"Okay, so in this life, I have a crush on Dustin...weird! Did Hunter say he was brooding??? This is getting weirder and weirder by the minute!" _Paige sighed as she said, "So what if I am?" Hunter and Blake didn't answer. "That's what I thought," she stated firmly. 

Without waiting for an answer, she streaked off. Following Dustin's Wind Ninja energy, Paige finally found him where she thought he might go, Blue Bay Point. He was standing there alone, just where his older self had been standing when she first met him.

"Hi," she said as she stood behind him.

Dustin turned around and snapped, "What are you doing here?"

"I was taking a walk and I thought I heard a noise," Paige explained.

"Wait a sec! Aren't you the girl who beat me earlier? Amariyah Stormwilder?"

After hesitating for a quick second, Paige replied, "Uh...yeah, that's me...you put up a great fight!"

"Thanks...why are you here?"

Paige let out a sigh as she felt Dustin's gaze on her. "I'm here because I...uh...I don't know...I was just walking and I saw you. I've seen you in competition but we never got a chance to just say hi. You never really talk."

"Listen, I saw you before our match, talking to your parents and being all happy. Some of us don't have that luxury. I've seen you with your parents every year for the past three years...I just...so if you wanna know why I never say hi to any of the competitors, especially those who have their families, that's why."

Paige bit her lip. "Well...I gotta go...but..."

"Just go. I don't need your sympathy."

Before Paige could do anything, her surroundings disappeared and she went back to her regular age. She found herself in a white room with the floating door in front of her. She opened it and stepped back into the real world.

*

"So _that's _the trade-off??? My parents for Dustin's?" Paige exclaimed as she burst through the door and arrived in front of Amalda.

"Don't sound so upset..." Amalda said, "I thought you didn't care much for Dustin..."

"He...he was betrayed...but...things were rough but I couldn't have made it here without him." After a pause for dramatic effect, Paige added angrily, "You don't even know me so don't even try to make assumptions about me."

"Does this mean you've made a decision?"

Paige growled softly to express her frustration. "This is _so _wrong, you know! How could you make me choose something like this???" she whined, "You don't understand...knowing that my choice will hurt someone, especially someone like Dustin...I can't do it. You didn't see the pain in his eyes..."

"You must make a decision. You can choose to prove you don't care about Dustin to free your Eagle Zord or decide to leave empty-handed."

"If I have to choose now, I'm leaving empty-handed!" Paige exclaimed, "I can't do this to Dustin!"

"Are you sure that is your final decision?" Amalda asked her.

"Definitely. I don't need a Zord...it took me long enough to gain Dustin's trust and his friendship. I'm not gonna knowingly hurt him. It's just wrong!"

Amalda watched as Paige walked towards the gate she came from earlier then when she disappeared out of sight, she turned to the Eagle statue and zapped it with a white beam, releasing it from its protective rock shell. _"You did well, Amariyah…I knew you would make the right decision." _

~*~_*_~*~

Paige walked through the gate and after a long walk, she was back where she had left Dustin, who was sitting on a rock with a pensive look on his face. She decided to sit down next to him.

"Pssst, what are you thinking?" she whispered softly to him.

Dustin looked at her and smiled. "I was just thinking about you."

Paige could feel herself blush as she said, "Well…I was thinking about you too."

"So how did it go?" he asked gently, "Did you get it? Did you free your Eagle Zord?"

Paige shook her head. "I couldn't do it…" She paused before adding, "I saw my mother…she was asking too much of me."

"Your mother? What did she ask you to do?"

"She asked me to change my past…and yours."

Dustin looked confused, intrigued and concerned at the same time. "And you didn't do it?"

"No…she gave me a taste of what it would be like if she and my father hadn't died…but when I saw how it affected you, I couldn't…not after you helped me with this quest." Paige took a deep breath then added, "The trade-off was your parents for mine. I thought about it…but I couldn't do that to you."

"I'm sorry it had to come down to that," Dustin said quietly as he wrapped her in a hug, "I guess it's my fault you didn't get your Zord."

Paige pulled away and assured him, "Don't worry, Dustin…I made a choice. I chose to give the Zord up…I know the pain of not having parents…I couldn't have you go through that. Besides, we wouldn't even be friends if that happened. Everything happens for a reason and everything has led to this. I realized that your friendship means more to me than having that hunk of metal."

"I'm sorry about everything that's happened between us at first," Dustin replied, "Your friendship's important to me too. Seeing you go through your emotional highs and lows…it made me realize that I can't hold on to painful memories…"

      A white ball of light appeared in front of them and Amalda Stormwilder's form stood before them. 

      "It seems as though you have learned something very important, young lady," Amalda stated.

"I have, trust me…I have two perfectly good parents already. Why would it matter if they were my biological parents or not? They raised me and helped me become who I am today. I couldn't selfishly take that away from Dustin…"

"Good…because I have a surprise for you."

Dustin and Paige watched as a golden blur flew over their heads and landed next to Amalda. The Gold Eagle Zord appeared before them, standing majestically and glowing brightly.

"But…I…uh…okay…how?" Paige managed to say.

"I'm sorry I even suggested that you make such a decision but I had to test your purity of heart and your selflessness. It is clear to me that you are deserving of your Zord."

"Whoa…thank you."

The Eagle Zord turned into a golden blur, which then zoomed right into Paige's morpher.

"We gotta go, Ama…Mom," Paige said, after giving her a hug, "I'll never forget you."

"Remember that I sacrificed my life to make sure you live a happy life…and I love you."

The two Ninjas watched as Amalda's form vanished right in front of them.

"Are you okay?" Dustin said quietly as they walked down the path towards their destination.

"Uh huh…" Paige replied, "That was intense...I just wanna go home and take a nap."

~*~_*_~*~

"WHOAAAAA!" Shane yelled out as he tried to keep the Storm Megazord from falling with Tori. They had gotten blasted by another one of Lothor's goons.

"Guys, we're in serious trouble," Cam said from the Samurai Star Megazord.

"We gotta hang on!" Hunter said as he and Blake continued to fight off the monster in the Thunder Megazord, "Paige and Dustin'll be back soon."

      As the three Zords continued to fight, missiles hit the monster they were fighting.

      "Hey, guys, brought a little help," Dustin announced after jumping into the Storm Megazord.

      "Hey, everyone!" Paige exclaimed from her Eagle Zord, "Guess who made it?" 

      " That's great!" Hunter exclaimed, "So what does that bad boy do?"

      "It has a warrior mode and it becomes the armor for the Thunder Megazord."

      "Great!" Blake said, "C'mon, let's do it!"

      "Super Thunder Megazord formation, activated!" Paige exclaimed.

      With the new and improved Thunder Megazord, the Storm Megazord and the Samurai Star Megazord attacked the monster and defeated it.

~*~_*_~*~

      After the battle, Tori went surfing and Shane went skateboarding while Cam, Hunter, Blake and Dustin were gathered inside Ninja Ops.

      "Hey, did anyone see Paige?" Dustin asked, "I wanted to talk to her about something…"

      Hunter handed him his phone. "Read the text message."

      Gone home, need nap. Tell Dustin not to worry.

      Dustin did as he was told and then asked Hunter, "Should I let her be or call her?"

"I don't know what it was you two went through but I think you should let her be…she's probably more exhausted than she lets on," Blake told him.

Dustin nodded. "All right. I'll see her tomorrow, I guess."

~*~_*_~*~

Paige was lying on her bed late that night, trying to make sense of what had happened. Moments played and replayed in her head and it was enough to make her head spin. What stuck out in her mind was the kiss that snapped her out of her trance in the cabin...why did Dustin do that? Was he really just trying to get her to come with him? She wasn't sure how he felt but she was sure her feelings were starting to grow and she wasn't sure how to deal with it. Blake had given her his home number earlier but she wasn't sure whether she would call or not. Then there was the dream...the blood, the violence...and Hunter's voice haunting her. _"Don't let love slip away..."_

Unable to fall asleep, Paige went over to her desk and turned on her laptop. She went online to type up an e-mail.

**To: **drcearascott@californiaparapsychiccenter.org (Dr. Ceara Scott)

**From: **paigeadams@hotmail.com (Paige Adams)

**Subject: **Headaches and a nightmare...

Dr. Scott,

Remember when you said that I could contact you whenever I needed to? Well...I need you now. My adjustment to the outside world has been great so far...but I've been having intense headaches and I just had a horrible nightmare about my best friend Hunter getting stabbed by the evil space ninja we're fighting named Lothor. Is it possible that I may have a secondary Talent, perhaps maybe precognition? Please reply as soon as possible with some insight. I trust that the doctor-patient confidentiality still applies.

~Paige

As soon as Paige sent the e-mail, she went back to bed. She figured she would have to try to sleep despite all her thoughts jumbled up in her head...finally, at about 4am, she finally let her eyes close on her...__

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**[Final Author's Note] **_So that's the end of that! Hopefully, y'all enjoyed this fic! It's only 7 chapters because it's only meant to introduce Paige into the Ninja Storm universe...wait 'til the actual story begins! This is the prequel of sorts to my epic fic, _Something Worth Fighting For. _ It's a Marah/Dustin/Paige triangle with a side of Blake/Tori romance._

**[Shoutouts] **

~**SuRfgUrL1, miz greenleaf and CamFan4Ever** - _I just want to take the time to thank you guys for reading and reviewing my fic! I'm glad y'all enjoyed the fruits of my labor!  _ __

~**hartfelt **- _I can't thank you enough for your help! You totally helped me make my fic rock! I don't think the last two chapters could have turned out the way they did without your help._


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